Disgraceful: Stolen truck of fallen firefighter’s father found
Shields also found badly damaged
The truck stolen from the father of fallen Porterville City Fire Captain Ray Figueroa has been found. The shields that Figueroa’s father planned to donate to the Porterville City Fire Department were also found, but badly damaged.
Just before 11:15 a.m. on Tuesday, Detectives with the Tulare Regional Auto Theft Task Force (TRATT), which includes members of the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office, were called to a canal in the 3700 Block of Road 40 in Alpaugh for a suspicious vehicle that appeared to be stripped.
When they arrived, TRATT Detectives were able to identify the vehicle as a Chevrolet Silverado that was reported stolen out of Delano on May 15. The vehicle previously belonged to fallen Porterville Fire Captain Ray Figueroa, a Delano native, and now belongs to his father. When the vehicle was stolen outside the Delano Home Depot, there were two metal signs inside that had been made in honor of Captain Figueroa and Firefighter Patrick Jones. Both firefighters were killed battling the fire that destroyed the Porterville Public Library on February 18.
TRATT Detectives were able to find the two metal signs a few hundred feet away from the vehicle. But they were badly damaged and no longer usable.
This case remains under investigation. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact Detective Renard of the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office at (559) 687-7004 or anonymously at tcso@tipnow.com or by text or voicemail at (559) 725-4194.